Get More from the Vendors Form

Your vendor setup might be costing you. Defaults not pulling, transactions hitting the wrong GL, missed 1099s—sound familiar? Let’s fix that.

The Vendors form isn’t just a place to store contact info; it plays a key role in how defaults are applied, how automation works, and even how payments are controlled.

Whether you're cleaning up existing records or onboarding a new vendor, it’s worth taking a closer look at how these key fields affect your A/P process.

Vendor Numbers

Regardless of the size of your company or what products you buy, your vendor numbers should be easy to understand.

Prefix Strategy: While a prefix is not needed, I regularly see teams use “V” for their base vendor and "R" for any remit to vendors. "E" is a common prefix for employees set up as vendors for reimbursement purposes.

Set your main prefix on the Accounts Payable Parameters form. Any new vendors will automatically be assigned the next sequential number for your default prefix. 

Using more than one prefix? In the vendor number field, enter the proper prefix for that vendor followed by a "?". SyteLine® will assign the next sequential number for that prefix instead of using the default prefix.

V? → V000123
R? → R000045
E? → E000007

The key is to be intentional and choose a pattern that works for the business.

Category

Vendor categories are an easy and efficient way to organize your vendors and define automation. This feature can save you time when dealing with non-PO vouchers, non-PO adjustments, or non-inventory PO line items.

When creating categories, you assign default values for the Accts Payable and Purchases account numbers to each record.

On the Vendors form, choose a Category for each vendor as needed. When you do, the purchases account from the Vendor Categories form is copied to the Purchases field on the vendor record. If a value existed in that field, it will be overridden.

Once a vendor category is assigned, future changes to the Vendor Categories form will not automatically update existing vendor records.

Pro Tip: After assigning a category, clear the Purchases account on the vendor record. This ensures the system always uses the account from the Vendor Categories form—giving you a single place to manage changes.

On the Purchase Orders form, the vendor's category (if assigned) displays automatically.

Terms

Enter or select the Terms for the vendor. These codes specify discount rates and due dates and are defined in the Billing Terms form.

This value defaults on new POs, non-PO vouchers, and adjustment transactions.

PO vouchers use the terms code from the oldest open PO when using the Generate A/P Transactions form.

Terms can always be overridden during processing.

Currency

As of version 10, SyteLine® supports multiple currencies per vendor.

The default currency is locked in when the vendor record is first saved. Decide upfront how you’ll handle this, because once you transact, you're committed.

Some teams allow multiple currencies on a single vendor record. Others prefer creating separate vendor records per currency to reduce confusion or error. There's no one-size-fits-all answer—just make sure your team is aligned as vendors are created.

Bank Code

Enter the Bank Code for the vendor. This code defines the default bank account used to make payments to this vendor and is created in the Bank Reconciliations form.

If the Payment Type is EFT, this bank code defaults from the Accounts Payable Parameters form but can still be changed at the time of payment.

Customer

If you buy from and sell to the same business, SyteLine® allows you to offset A/P and A/R amounts without exchanging cash.

Enter the corresponding Customer number in this field and use the AR/AP Payment Offset form to process the offset through the defined offset account.

This is especially helpful for intercompany transactions or distributors you also buy from.

Status

Starting in version 10, you can use Status codes to restrict vendor activity.

Define vendor statuses on the Vendor Statuses form. Each status includes a description and a checkbox to allow or restrict order processing.

If a vendor is not marked “Active for Order Processing,” they cannot be added to RFQs, Purchase Order Requisitions, or Purchase Orders. The "Show in Drop Down Lists" and "Active for Data Integration" checkboxes will also be disabled.

Purchases

The system determines which Purchases account to use in this order:

1. First, it checks the Purchases field on the vendor record.

2. If that’s blank, it looks for a Category and uses the associated Purchases account.

3. If neither are populated, it defaults to the Accounts Payable Parameters form.
   
   

Payment Type

Choose the default Payment Type for A/P payments. This value can be updated during payment creation or used to filter during the A/P Payment Generation process.

EFT Format

Once a vendor's Payment Type is set to EFT, you can select a compatible EFT Format.

The selected format determines which fields appear on the Banking tab for the vendor. 

To fully automate the EFT process:

1. Enable the Remittance Advice type on the Accounts Payable Parameters form.

2. Add a Vendor Document Profile using the task name "A/P EFT Posting - Remittance Advice".

Payment Hold

Enable this checkbox to place the vendor on payment hold. Payments cannot be created for vendors on hold.

To hold payment for a specific voucher (rather than the entire vendor), use the Hold checkbox on the A/P Posted Transactions Detail form.

Tax ID & 1099s

If the Tax ID field is populated, SyteLine® will automatically select the 1099 Reportable checkbox when generating payments.

You can override this at any point in the A/P Payment Distributions or A/P Quick Payment Application forms.

When the 1099 Reportable field is toggled on the A/P Posted Transactions Detail form, the system automatically recalculates the 1099 Payments section on the Vendors form (Payment History tab).

Need to recalculate across vendors? Run the Rebalance Vendor Pay History utility.

The Vendors form might not be flashy, but it quietly drives accuracy, automation, and compliance. A few thoughtful setups here can save time, reduce errors, and make your A/P process run more smoothly. 

If it’s been a while since you reviewed your vendor records—or if you’ve never fully used some of these features—this is a good place to start.

This entry is posted. See you in the next journal.